Chapter 1

The chill of the evening wind whipped through the desolate streets, carrying whispers of a village steeped in secrets. Nyx Ravenwood stood at the edge of the crumbling pier, her obsidian eyes gaze at the horizon where the sun surrendered to the encroaching darkness. The memories of her turbulent past echoed within her, haunting every step she took.

Nyx took a deep breath and a fake smile itched unto her snow white face as she was finally leaving the village she have grown up. The warm and lively street full of laughter of the villagers have now become so ominously quite, not a single living things can be found now.

The distant sound of waves crashing against the worn rocks brought her back to that fateful day. She remembered the piercing cries, the flames devouring their home, the villages and the horrifying reality that stole her parents away when she was just a child. Her only solace, her elder brother, Calen, became her guiding light through the shadowy corridors of life.

But fate, it seemed, was not finished with its cruel hand. Calen had vanished five years ago, leaving behind a cryptic note and a lingering silence that resonated within Nyx's soul. And today, on the eve of her 18th birthday, the pain still lingered as raw as the day he disappeared.

With a heavy heart, Nyx retraced the steps she'd taken countless times. The worn parchment, adorned with enigmatic symbols, was clutched tightly in her hand. It was the only clue she had—an inscription etched with the words "Imperial Academy."

It was located in the Imperial City, the city that housed the gifted, the powerful, and those who walked the fine line between heroism and villainy. A sanctuary where whispers of extraordinary abilities and blurred moral codes echoed through the shadows.

Gazing at the sky that mirrored the turmoil within her, Nyx made a silent vow. She would uncover the truth behind Calen's disappearance, even if it meant venturing into the heart of the enigmatic Imperial City. She'd leave behind the safety of the familiar, embrace the unknown, and seek out the echoes of her lost brother in the shadows of power.

"Farewell" Her whisper echos in the silent street.

A creaking sound resonate as she stepped into the old wooden boat. Nyx sat down humming her mother's lullaby, Her raven hair cascades like a waterfal. She extend her hand towards the rippling water below, and a shadow loomed, the weathered wooden boat magically glided steadily onward.

A blurry vision appeared as Nyx fell unto a deep slumber. In her slumber, a familiar lullaby drifts from a figure with a face blurred,

A voice carrying a tune from a distant world, familiar but obscured.

"Close your eyes, my child, drift into the night,

Magic in your grasp, stars within your sight.

Dream of fields so green, under skies of blue,

Hopes for an ordinary life, away from what you can do.

Lullabies and moonbeams, soft upon your bed,

Wishing for a life, without the power in your head.

Sleep, my dear, dream sweetly in the night,

May your path be simple, away from this might.""